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Hinkley C

EDF has since released a statement encouraging protestors to get back to work.

A spokeswoman said: “The majority of the Hinkley Point C workforce are working as normal today. A smaller number of workers are disputing payments for bad weather and they are being encouraged to return to work.

“Employees who were unable to work at the site during recent bad weather will be paid in line with agreements signed with the trade unions.

“The safety of our workforce is paramount and a decision was made to close the site on Thursday ahead of the bad weather. Work was carried out over the weekend to ensure the site was available for a safe return to work today.”

Hinkley Point C sit-in protest

Hinkley Point C is Britain's first new nuclear power plant in over 20 years and is said it will provide seven per cent of the UK’s power for 60 years when fully operational.

The EDF Energy site will cost £19.6 billion to build and is said to generate enough electricity for 5.8 million homes. The power station will be the most expensive man-made object on Earth when it is finished.

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EDF claims it is happy with the conditions at the power plant.

The spokeswoman said: “We are proud of the ‘best in class’ pay and conditions for the Hinkley Point C workforce. We have created great facilities, offer career development and have done this in a way that is affordable for the project.

“We share a commitment with the trade unions and our contractors to provide the best standards in health, safety and welfare, and the highest standards of quality and productivity, as we work together to deliver this vital project for the UK.”

Staff are still sitting in the canteen waiting to hear from management

Unite, the largest trade union in Britain, has now weighed in on the protest.

Peter Hughes, South West Regional Secretary for Unite said: "It is completely unacceptable for Kier/Bam to decide not to pay its workforce while those workers remained available for work during last week's extreme weather and across the weekend.

"The current problems at Hinkley were not organised or caused by Unite but the actions of their employers; however the union is currently in intensive negotiations to seek a resolution to the issues with both Kier/Bam and the client EDF.”

Staff at Hinkley Point C in Somerset are reportedly staging a sit-in protest over wages

Mr Hughes was able to clarify exactly what happened to the workforce soon after Storm Emma hit.

He said: "Unite understands that workers were told last Thursday during the working day to return to their lodgings. The union’s members were due to work the weekend and were available to work; although were instructed not to report for work due to the red weather warnings.

“On their return to site this week they were advised via text that they would not be paid Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the union continues to seek an acceptable and negotiated settlement to these issues.

“We have already seen the government in Scotland call out companies who have adopted such tactics and we agree that employees should not be penalised for following safety advice. The union urges the employer to observe common sense in this issue and pay their employees”.

Are you involved? Are you at the protest? Let us know. Get in touch using james.wood@westgaz.co.uk , call 07870 505 906 or tweet me @JamesWood24